#Renaissance Muffins

[renaissancemuffins]

Question now is, who is your current favorite character?

(I know these may not be recent characters to mention, but I still like them. Haven't been keeping up with more recent shows or video games.)

[therealvinelle]

I love the Agatha Christie question!

Who are your HP/Twilight faves in the Christie universe? (Who’s the opportunist who knows too much and dies for it? Who’s the conman killer who courts the girl to avoid suspicion? Who’s just trying to take a holiday and gets caught-up in a murder? Who are the dynamic mystery-solving duo who realize they are in love by the end of the novel? etc.).

I mean, that is kind of what The Man Who Would Be King (and secret fic) (both cowritten with @theoriginalcarnivorousmuffin) have already become. We have our murder victim, Alphard, a very rich man with a colorful family, and possibly his sister, we have our unlikely detectives in Voldemort, Lily Potter, and Alphard himself. It may not be the center of the story but it's a large part of it.

In other words my answer for Harry Potter would somehow spoil all my present and future fics so I won't.

As for the Twilight version...

I vote we do it wealthy dysfunctional family style, it's most natural.

A patriarch is poisoned

Carlisle Cullen, a very wealthy man with powerful enemies, nonetheless dear to those around him and blessed with more friends than most, is found dead in his office one morning. Cause of death? Murder.

The police, caught on the detail that Dr. Cullen was a vampire and vampires are real, what the fuck is this on the doctor's autopsy table and is he going to wake up again and drink all our blood?, are little use in the investigation. Scotland Yard is soon brought in, and using Chief Swan's connections with the family they get a better picture of Dr. Cullen's life.

His family wasn't looking to inherit him anytime soon, as he was immortal. None of them were having money troubles however, all were independently wealthy.

He had made enemies of a thousand-year-old clan of powerful vampires, who on hearing that his murder is being investigated like this get very upset. Supposedly the victim lived with them in his youth (and inspector Craddock cries when he learns the timeline for this murder goes back to the 1600s. Are they going to have to bring historians in on this murder??), he might have known something

Oh what's that? The victim had a whole network of friends across the globe, who are all killers, and he knew everyone's secrets? ... do we have the budget to investigate this?

The victim was also living next to a tribe of magical shapeshifting wolves evolved specifically to kill his kind. They liked him best and had a line in their treaty that "he dies last". Not sure what to do with this information

Rosalie Hale missing person case from 1933 solved: Carlisle Cullen adopted her. Was she recognised, did someone piece it together, and was Carlisle killed in retribution?

The victim lived a fake life of fake papers. Could be important, except it's the most normal thing about this case.

The police wonder how this man didn't get murdered sooner, and are stretched so thin the investigation is going slowly.

So, Renesmee gets to be our plucky detective du jour, as she decides to see if she can help. Surely there is no harm in her poking around, and she's well liked around the vampire world so there might be answers she can get that human police can't, partly because policemen keep getting eaten.

She slowly narrows it down to the horrible realization that it was someone in the family, and she learns terrible things.

Jasper Hale wasn't Jasper Hale at all! He was a friend of Jasper's in the newborn army who wanted a new life, and who in the wake of Jasper's suden and unexpected death assumed his identity. He had Peter bite his entire face so he'd be scarred like Jasper had been, and vouch for this blond vampire most definitely being Jasper Hale. Peter later had to die because he Knew Too Much, and so did Charlotte, regrettably. Fake Jasper did however not kill Carlisle.

Edward seems a prime suspect, he is an angry and resentful young man who acts out. Everyone thinks he did it, and that Bella should certainly marry Jacob, the safer option. Much upheaval is had, however, once Renesmee is able to clear Edward's name and he meaningfully links arms with Bella. They sail off into the sunset with their inheritance.

Rosalie is a beautiful, cold, intimidating woman, the femme fatale sort who's surely conniving. It's a bit of a mystery why she married that poor fool Emmett, but it's clear to all she doesn't love him. No clear motive from her, other than the money she would inherit, but she's just so suspicious. Her alibi is ambiguous, she claims she was with Esme and Emmett but what if Esme and Emmett are lying to protect their daughter and wife? Superintendent Battle wonders about that.

Renesmee is at a loss.

And then she realizes that it's not Rosalie who acts like she doesn't love Emmett, it's Emmett who acts like he doesn't love her! And Esme's grieving widow act is just that, it's an act!

Renesmee realizes that Emmett and Esme are lovers, and killed Carlisle together. Esme committed it while Emmett tricked Rosalie into giving her an alibi. Renesmee realizes this once she has a "But Rosalie couldn't have seen Esme from that angle!" moment.

The plan was too pin Rosalie for the murder, see her hanged, and then in due time the mourning widowers would marry, happily entitled to all the money they couldn't have touched if they'd divorced. Also Rosalie was Catholic so she wouldn't have agreed to a divorce.

The two lovers are confronted, and Esme pulls out a tiny pearl-studded gun from her shoe, says "We tried, my love. I regret nothing" before shooting first Emmett, then herself.

[rankheresy]

Episode 11: What’s Up with the Vampire Secret Anyways?

People who are subscribed to our podcast on the various streaming services will already know the episode is out, but that doesn’t mean we can’t make a post about it.

Oh well.

Join us in this half hour long episode as we talk about the secret in Twilight, namely, that vampires are a secret. We discuss isekai, historeagraphy, apex predators, the alien franchise (again), and sound like we’re talking about a series that isn’t about two teenagers named Edward and Bella who just want to be together.

[sidraofthewildflowers]

Renaissance meets Bear

Alicent Brown: Alicent’s favorite place (other than the kitchen where she can usually be found baking up all kinds of new creations) is the oddball shop she works at just around the corner from their home, where she works alongside the shops aged and equally eccentric owner, Mr. Gruber.

Life recently took an exciting turn when, on the way home, Alicent and her family spotted a little brown bear at the train station. It didn’t take much convincing to take him back home. Paddington was his name. He loves to eat her various kitchen creations, and has made a wonderful addition to the family.

Criston Brown: Criston never expected to have his life spun around when a little bear entered his family’s home. Though, with his wife Alicent, he should have learned that anything was possible. Life as a banker should have been a simple one, but with four children, a bear, and his colorful wife, life was never simple.

He has always tried to be the parent that kept the havoc of the house in order, but his family was far too exciting for such a thing. And that’s something he’s just fine with.

Aegon Brown: Aegon loved nothing more than building rockets. Well, that and his family. He wants to go to space and see what the world looks like from way up above. Ignoring his father’s loving advice of “thinking safe”, Aegon likes to set his handmade rockets off outside, which then usually means that he will loose rocket making privileges for a little.

It’s an often sight to find Aegon and Paddington tinkering away at a rocket in the middle of the kitchen while Alicent bakes and the rest of the kids take part in their own hobbies.

Helaena Brown: Helaena likes to call herself an explorer. Well, if going out to explore the city makes someone an explorer, than she is one. She likes to bring home pastries from the cafe she works at. She always makes sure to bring marmalade muffins for Paddington to eat. He adores them.

Paddington likes to join her on adventures and the two like to take breaks by eating at little hole-in-the-wall restaurants where they serve the best English food.

Aemond Brown: Aemond loves to take pictures of just about anything. At the moment, he’s been making his family dress in odd costumes for a theme he likes to call “Renaissance meets Bear”. Alicent loves it, and Paddington does too because he gets to eat the little marmalade sandwiches she makes while they work.

The movie theater that he works at allows him to watch all of the films he loves. On special days, when Aegon and Paddington beg, he’ll play a movie of his family’s choice.

Daeron Brown: Daeron, the youngest of the rowdy bunch, loves history and everything to do with it. He can usually be spotted hand in hand with Paddington as they walk around the large museums of London. His room is full of books that are stacked on top of one another. Don’t tell his dad that another stack fell down and broke his lamp.

He enjoys spending his time in the kitchen where most of his family is, and telling his family a new history fact that he and Paddington recently learned.

.

.

Requested by and with help from @fatherforgivethem ✨🐻🐻🐻✨✨ tyyyy!!!

[hippolotamus]

For @this-is-bwr: Happiest of Birthdays to you!

all in the Jee-tails | Rated: T | 4531 words

“There is no magic in magic, it’s all in the details.”- Walt Disney

Okay. Just a little turn aaaand- yes. Alright, only one more to go. You got this, Buckley. 

Buck watches with fascination as the sewing machine’s needle dips and resurfaces, piercing the shimmery blue fabric. A wave of satisfaction and pride washes over him when the final stitches meet seamlessly with the beginning ones. For only putting in minimal effort during Family & Consumer Sciences, he’s impressed with his handiwork. He eases his foot off the pedal and snips the thread, freeing his creation so he can try it on. 

Ever since Jee watched Sleeping Beauty and Shrek for the first time she’s become obsessed with all things fantasy. Much to Maddie, Chim and Eddie’s amusement, Buck couldn’t help himself from buying her a sparkly dress (or three), as well as a tiara fit for pint-sized royalty. 

He had been a little conflicted at first, between indulging his niece’s interest and fear of feeding into gender norms. His concerns turned out to be unnecessary when Maddie texted him a picture later that week, simply captioned She didn’t want to choose, so I told her she could be both. Jee wore the yellow dress, covered in flowers and iridescent ribbon, and her hot pink high top sneakers, holding up the sword and shield Buck bought at the renaissance fair last year. Maddie or Chim must have told her to make her ‘battle’ face. Her barely-there eyebrows were scrunched and her mouth was set in a grimace, showing off two perfect rows of baby teeth. She was absurdly adorable. 

Of course, once she had her clothes to play dress up, she needed a fearsome beast to battle. And, well, how was Buck supposed to be an effective dragon without his own wings?

“Looks good, baby.” Buck startles at his husband’s voice, but quickly melts at the praise, smiling up from his seat at the dining room table. Eddie rests a hand on Buck’s shoulder and presses a kiss to his temple. “You’ll be the sexiest dragon at the play date.”

Buck snorts. “I haven’t even tried them on yet.”

“Better get to it then.” Eddie playfully swats his ass when he stands. “But I don’t have to see you in them to know I’m right.”

“Aww, thanks, babe.”

Buck slips his new wings on, stretching his arms to full width to make absolutely sure he got the wingspan measurements correct. He curls his wrists and swings his arms to test the elastic bands he hand-stitched on, pleased when the secure hold doesn’t budge. 

“Well?” 

Eddie hooks a finger in each shoulder strap, tugging Buck closer. “I think you’re gonna be Jee’s favorite uncle.”

Buck hums in response, raising one eyebrow. “At least until she knows you’re making those cinnamon muffins she loves. Then I’ll be old news.”

“Well then.” Eddie kisses Buck’s forehead. “If for some reason that happens-” another kiss to his chin, “I’ll be sure-” Eddie’s tongue traces the line of his jaw, “to show you how much I appreciate it.” A low whimper escapes when Eddie nips at Buck’s ear. 

“Didn’t realize you had a monster kink, Eds.”

“Aren’t you the one always saying it’s never too late to learn new things about yourself?” Eddie captures his lips before he can answer, tracing his fingers down Buck’s sides to toy with the hem of his tee. 

Even after two years of marriage, plus one year of dating, Buck still never tires of discovering new information about his husband. If he realized this was a thing Eddie might be into, he would have done it a long time ago. Athena let Buck borrow the sewing machine for this project. Maybe he’ll have to invest in one of their own.

“Are you two being gross again?” 

They jump apart like middle schoolers at the sound of Chris’s voice, both of them blushing and trying to pretend they weren’t on the verge of making out in the family room. 

“Sorry,” Buck mumbles at the same time Eddie says, “No.”

Their son narrows his eyes at them, folding his arms across his chest. Buck can’t help noticing how much he looks like Eddie when he does that. Eventually, Chris rolls his eyes and asks what Buck is wearing.

“Dragon wings,” Buck states with a wide grin. “For when Jee wants to play princess knight.”

“No way! That’s so cool!” Chris instantly switches from disgusted to impressed. He flicks his gaze to the table, heaped with fabric scraps and bits of thread and a tomato-shaped pincushion. “Wait. Did you make these?”

“Uh, yeah. I did, actually. I tried to find some online, but didn’t really love the options.”

Chris runs his fingers along the edges, rubbing the material between his thumb and pointer. 

“If you want I could make you some of your own,” Buck offers. 

“Nope,” Chris shakes his head. “You’re Jee’s favorite dragon. She has the most fun when you do it. I want to be an all powerful wizard.” 

“Oh yeah?” Eddie reaches over to tousle his curls. “What are you going to do with all this mysterious power?” 

“First, I would get rid of homework. Then I would cast a spell to stop Buck’s snoring.”

“I can’t say I’d argue with that,” Eddie agrees with a chuckle.

Buck shoots them both a playful half-hearted glare, even as Eddie plants a smacking kiss on his cheek. “It’s okay, sweetheart. I love you just the way you are. Even if you could wake the dead with your snores.”

“Uh huh. I’ll remember that the next time you toss and turn and steal all the covers.” 

Buck turns his attention back to Christopher and his costume request. It seems simple enough. A wizard robe can’t be any more complicated than what he’s just finished. Between a few basic instructions from Athena, several hours of YouTube videos and practice stitches, it hadn’t been too difficult. And she didn’t say he needed to return the machine by a specific date.

“If you’re a dragon,” Eddie says, “and Chris is a wizard, that means I’m the brave, handsome knight, right?”

“It’s cute that you think that, Eds. Jee is the princess and the knight. But, I mean, obviously, that leaves you with an extremely important job.” 

Eddie raises his eyebrows as if to say ‘out with it’.

“You get to be the damsel in distress, locked away in a tall tower.” Buck swipes his phone and measuring tape from the table, leading Chris away. “Okay, buddy. Let’s go figure out what we need to make you into a wizard.”

They make it to the hallway before Buck’s words finally sink in and Eddie calls out behind them. 

“Wait. What? Absolutely not!” ******

Putting together Christopher’s ensemble does turn out to be relatively straightforward. If Buck is being honest, he’s a little envious there’s nothing he needs for himself from the fabric Chris chose. The satiny midnight blue – patterned with planets, constellations and starbursts – makes an elegant, flowy design from the tip of the hood to the billowy sleeves and near-floor length hemline. 

As an extra accessory, Carla surprised him with a wand she made herself from a twig and hot glue, wound with navy and gold ribbon. 

“And,” Carla says to Chris, “if you would be so kind as to give this to Miss Jee.” She hands him a second wand. This one is painted sage green, and has a glittery gold star at the top and fluttering ribbons in varying shades of pink. “Every princess needs a little something extra. Even if they already have a battle sword.” 

“Thank you, Carla! She’s going to love it.” 

She smiles warmly at Chris, pleased with his enthusiasm about the gifts. “Make sure your dads get plenty of pictures.” 

Buck doesn’t miss the way she gives him and Eddie a pointed look. 

“We will,” they promise in unison. 

“Alright, boys. I have to be on my way.” She gathers Chris in a tight hug before they walk her to the door and they say their goodbyes. “Have fun today!”

Maddie and Chim are bringing Jee to the house for the afternoon while they meet with a contractor about expanding their patio. Buck didn’t give his sister much detail about their plans, but asked her to make sure his niece has all of her royal gear. 

While Chris and Eddie are distracted, Buck tiptoes to the kitchen, wanting to do a final check that everything is accounted for. He blindly feels around the top of the fridge, confusion building as his fingers touch nothing but air and cool metal. 

“What the-” Buck mutters to himself. “I could’ve sworn I left it–”

“Looking for this?” 

He turns to see his husband wearing a shit-eating grin and holding Buck’s clipboard and checklist.

“Gotta step up your game, Buckley. This one was way too easy to find,” Eddie teases. 

When it comes to clipboards, Buck is well aware of his reputation. No sooner did he move into the Diaz household, both father and son made a game of hiding them. Buck tried to change the rules by stashing them in any nook or cranny he could find. That plan backfired when Eddie and Chris quickly caught on and started seeking out his locations like a treasure hunt.

“Maybe if you just admitted how much you love seeing me with one, we wouldn’t have to play these games at all.” 

Eddie’s gaze darkens as he saunters across the floor. With everything they have to do, plus Chris being somewhere close by, Buck would really like to say his dick doesn’t take notice, but that would be an outrageous lie. 

“I never said I didn’t enjoy you that way,” Eddie murmurs, breath ghosting against the shell of Buck’s ear. “I just love it more when you’re wearing the whole Fire Marshal Buckley get up and begging for me to finally fuck you.”

“Eds.” Buck exhales a shaky breath, attempting to regain some sense of composure before his sister shows up. Or Chris walks in. Again. 

“Until later,” Eddie gives him a chaste kiss, winking as he presses the clipboard into Buck’s hands. “I’ll give you a minute to collect yourself.”

Asshole. 

“Yeah, I’ll be out in a sec,” he grumbles, adjusting his jeans and staring a hole into the checklist, tapping each item while he does a mental review. 

Apple slices? Check. Capri sun? Check. Sprinkles and frosting for decorating cookies later? Check and check. 

Unfortunately, the forecast has been calling for rain. He had hoped for a day at the park, but that seems unlikely. Which is why Buck has backup plans. He continues his walkthrough in the living room, checking off the stack of sheets and tablecloths to construct a perfect movie watching fort. There’s also a selection of pillows and blankets in case movie time turns to nap time. He’s just finishing up when he hears the familiar knocking. 

“I’ll get it!” Chris scrambles to answer the door. The Buckley-Han clan is waiting on the other side, with Jee wriggling in Maddie’s arms the moment she sees Chris. “Hi Jee!”

Maddie sets her down and she immediately toddles to her cousin, throwing her tiny arms around his leg. “Chwispher!”

“Hey, sis. Chim.” Buck hugs Maddie, then reaches down to pick up Jee. He lifts her over his head, delighted by her squeals of laughter. “And how is my favorite girl doing?” 

“I guess we’re chopped liver, huh?” He hears Chim tell Eddie. 

“Oh, there’s no guessing. We definitely are,” Eddie answers. “He’s a big puddle of mush when she’s around. Like no one else exists.”

Buck chooses to ignore the commentary in favor of making Jee giggle and smile some more.

“Bag is fully stocked with snacks, spare clothes, and her stuffed shark.” Buck half-listens to his sister while Jee grabs at his hair with her tiny fingers. “As requested, we’ve got the purple and the green princess dress, plus the sword and– are you even listening?”

Eddie politely takes the diaper bag from Maddie. “Snacks, extra clothes, favorite stuffie. And all the miscellaneous things my husband made you pack. Don’t worry, I’ve got them covered.”

“Thank you.” Maddie kisses Eddie’s cheek then turns to do the same to Jee. “Bye, princess. Daddy and I will see you later. Yes, we will!”

Jee presses her lips to her palm and blows a kiss to her parents. Buck has no doubts he is the luckiest uncle on the face of the planet, if not the entire universe. 

Chim says his farewells and urges Maddie back to the car, mumbling about having to finish laundry before their meeting. Which… is kinda strange. Buck hasn’t ever asked, but he’s at least 87% certain that ‘laundry’ is code for something he really never wants to think about his sister and brother-in-law doing. 

“Okay,” Buck addresses the squirmy little girl in his arms. “It’s just you, me, Chris, and Uncle Eddie. What do you want to do first? We can color or make cookies or… a special surprise.”

Her mouth turns up in a smile as she claps enthusiastically. “Special s’prise.”

“I knew you had good taste, kid. Chris, you know what to do.”

Christopher merely grins and disappears to change into his robes. 

Buck lowers Jee to the floor and tells her she’ll need to pick one of her fancy dresses for the surprise. Jee races to the bag, immediately pulling out the green one. Eddie makes silly faces at her, and plays peekaboo, while Buck wrestles the outfit over her wiggly body. As soon as he’s done she reaches into the main pocket for the silvery tiara, haphazardly setting it on her head. 

“Sir Edmundo.” Buck deepens his voice, trying not to laugh at how ridiculous he sounds. “Send for the great and powerful wizard at once.”

“As you wish.” Eddie squares his shoulders, standing taller as he walks to the end of the hallway. Jee happily spins in place, swishing her skirt from side to side. “Princess Jee-Yun has arrived and wishes to see Christopher the Wise and Magical.”

Jee pauses her twirling when Chris emerges from his room, as if she’s uncertain what to make of the situation. 

“It’s just me,” he stage-whispers as soon as he’s close enough. 

She continues watching him while he kneels in front of her. 

“Your highness, a gift for you.” Chris reaches into the depths of one sleeve, pulling out the wand Carla made. She takes it from him eagerly, mesmerized by the sparkles and ribbons. 

Buck uses the opportunity to slip away so he can put on his wings. Jee reacted well to Chris, so he’s hoping she won’t be scared of him either. They’ve played Princess Jee: Dragon Slayer plenty of times, but she was the only one dressed up for it. 

Right now Chris and Eddie are supposed to be telling her about the rumors they’ve heard involving a mysterious new dragon in the kingdom. A very tall, good natured one with shiny blue scales; and an insatiable appetite for cupcakes, juice and small children. 

He can faintly make out Eddie’s voice informing Jee that only her and the wizard can capture the beast. 

“Shhh. Do you hear that?” Eddie asks, pausing for effect. Buck answers by stomping in place for ten or so steps, then waits for Eddie to start talking again. 

“There! I think it’s—”

Buck widens his stance, hunching over and crouching as he steps from their bedroom. He tucks his arms close to his ribs, making eye contact with Jee before he does anything else. Her eyes widen and, for a beat, he’s afraid it’s too much. But then she begins excitedly jumping up and down, pulling on Chris’s sleeves and pointing. 

“Dagon! Dagon!”

“Mmmm,” Buck lets out a playful growl. He tilts his head back, dramatically sniffing at the air.  “Do I smell a tasty princess treat?” He sniffs again. “And a magical being?”

Eddie stifles a laugh, covering his mouth with one hand and shaking uncontrollably as Buck advances toward both shrieking children. The wings flutter behind him with each large, awkward step. 

He’s nearly reached them when Chris holds out his wand while Jee raises hers and the pink foam shield. She strikes a fierce pose with her wand pointing out, one hot pink shoe in front of the other, an adorable scowl on her face and crown askew on her head. 

“Your highness!” Chris clears his throat, flicking his gaze at Eddie then back to Buck. “We must protect the fair maiden!”

Buck nearly loses his balance as he watches Eddie sigh and curse under his breath — probably something in Spanish he hopes the kids won’t understand — stepping up on a dining room chair situated in the corner. 

Eddie folds his arms across his broad chest, meekly calling out in a disturbingly high register Buck has most certainly never heard from his husband before. “Help, help! Somebody, er, save me!”

Chris positions himself protectively near Eddie’s “tower” while Jee takes the half-hearted yelps as her cue to attack. She rushes at Buck, circling his legs and passionately shaking her wand. He plays along, twitching and jerking with each flick of her hand as she chases him through the kitchen and dining room. 

They pass Eddie and Chris on the return route to the living room. Buck makes a point to double back, pretending to scale the tower until Jee realizes where he is. Chris and Jee corner him like a couple of border collies, casting nonsense spells as Buck gradually crumples to the floor, closing his eyes and letting his head loll to one side. 

Jee cheers, hopping up and down, her shoes thumping on the floor. Buck cracks one eye open to surreptitiously witness the celebration. He manages to meet Eddie’s gaze with an equally fond look of his own through the mayhem. Buck only looks away when he feels Jee’s tiny frame shuffling onto him, her knee narrowly missing his stomach. 

“Buck. Up. Buck. Up.” She pats his chest with each syllable and grins when he opens both eyes completely, feigning surprise as if he’s just discovered her there.

“Princess Knight Jee, slayer of dragons, ruler of the Buckley-Han-dom. There is one more task to complete. Will you help me?”

“Yes!”  

“Excellent! One, two, three, up-we-go.” Buck clutches her tightly while he rolls up to sit, then maneuvers to stand. He shifts her so she’s turned outward, facing Eddie. “Time to rescue our damsel in distress.”

Buck lifts her higher in a move reminiscent of the opening scene to The Lion King, passing her to Eddie. 

“There’s my brave little protector.” Eddie thanks her and carefully steps down from the chair. “You and Chris fought a tough battle. What do you say we reward the warriors with a snack?”

The sight of his husband holding Jee — or doing anything with her, really — always manages to crack Buck’s heart open a little more. Eddie has shared stories from Chris’s younger years. Buck knows they didn’t get to experience most of these early moments together. To see Eddie getting something of a second chance with Jee can be the best type of overwhelming at times.

In the kitchen, Eddie straps Jee into her booster seat, entertaining her with ‘Itsy Bitsy Spider’ while Buck rinses and slices enough apples for all of them. Chris retrieves two juices from the fridge for him and Jee, plus string cheese and crackers for himself. 

It’s nice to finally sit down with all of them gathered around the table. Jee offers bits of her snack to share, unaware of Buck quietly replenishing her tray every time she does so. 

Afterwards, Jee is ready to play again, though more quietly this time. She and Chris color pages from a Princess and the Frog coloring book, while Buck and Eddie move furniture to construct the fort in the living room. As if on cue, the sky darkens and rain plinks against the windows. They add throw pillows, couch cushions and blankets for an extra cozy atmosphere. Assuming Jee’s schedule hasn’t changed, she’ll be dozing off sometime soon. 

Once they’re satisfied the fort is stable enough to occupy, Eddie retreats to the kitchen to make popcorn. Buck gathers Jee and Chris to pick what movie they’ll watch. Chris guides his younger cousin towards what he thinks she might enjoy most, steering her away from options that are too mature. 

Together they choose Monsters, Inc. in time for Eddie to return with the popcorn divided into two medium-sized bowls. He flips off the main living room light once both kids are securely under the blanketed ceiling. Buck crawls in after them, followed by Eddie. It’s only then, as his wings catch against the entrance, that Buck realizes he’s still wearing them. Their nest is too small to take them off now and he’s too comfortable to leave.

Chris sprawls to one side, laying on his stomach with his chin resting in his palm. Eddie and Buck automatically settle next to each other, joined together from shoulder to ankle as they lean back to lounge against the sofa. Jee makes herself comfortable by climbing on Eddie’s lap. She hugs her shark with one arm and reaches for one of the bowls with the other. 

The opening credits play, a cacophony of jazz music, doors opening and slamming shut, and fabricated screams. Jee wiggles along to the beat until it fades and the movie begins. Her snacking is abandoned by the time Sully, the big blue monster, accidentally frees the little girl, Boo. When Sully is sneaking Boo back into the factory, Buck notices the lack of movement beside him. 

Jee is snuggled against Eddie’s chest, fast asleep, her shark smushed between them. Her mouth is slightly parted, but not yet drooling on his shirt. He has one arm wrapped loosely around her, his wedding ring glinting like a miniature beacon in the dim lighting. He tips his chin in the direction of a smaller blanket, just out of reach. Buck pulls it closer for him, draping it over Jee. 

“Hey,” Eddie says quietly. 

The chocolate brown pools of Eddie’s eyes are obscured by the screen’s glare. Even so, Buck still detects a hint of nerves in them. 

“Hey, yourself. Whatcha thinking about?”

“Nothing. Just that this is a nice day. With us. And them.” Eddie pauses, briefly glancing between Chris and Jee. “Both of them.”

Buck furrows his brow and cocks his head while he lets the words sink in, turning them over to make sure he’s heard correctly. Is Eddie saying what he thinks he is? It’s not the first time they’ve had Jee at the house. However, it is the first time the topic has come up since right after they got married. “Eds, are you- do you want another kid?”

People that know them best — Hen and Karen, Bobby and Athena, May, Maddie and Chim — stopped asking ages ago if Buck and Eddie would be adding to their family. That is, if they ever asked to begin with. It’s really no one’s business but theirs. 

Buck always wanted a big family with lots of kids. Then again, he’s wanted a lot over the years that always wound up paling in comparison to what he received. He adores his life with Eddie and Christopher. Every day he tries to be intentional about showing them both how grateful he is and how much he loves them. If the timing was right, and Eddie wanted to, Buck’s not opposed to the idea. He likes to think he would welcome it.

Eddie half shrugs, looking like he wishes he could take back what he said. “Possibly? I don’t know for sure. I mean I’m open to it, at least. Doesn’t hurt that she’s so fun, and gets along well with Chris.” His nervous searching gaze returns. “And I know you- at least I think you still do. Would you? Want another? Because I think I would. If that’s something you wanted. Or something you—”

Understanding suddenly washes over him, making his gut twist that Eddie even thinks this might be something Buck needs. 

“Eds.” Buck cups Eddie’s cheek, sweeping his thumb over the five o’clock shadow. “I only want if we want. I love us. Me and you and Chris. Not a day goes by that I wake up wishing for more. And I’m not saying ‘never’. I just need you to know it’s not some… requirement for me. I’m not going anywhere. Ever.”

The tension seems to melt from Eddie’s body. His shoulders are no longer creeping up to his ears and the lines around his eyes and forehead soften. He leans forward, kissing Buck as soft and deep and thoroughly as he can with a sleeping toddler on his lap. 

“Good,” Eddie murmurs when they separate. “I love us, too. The three of us, or if we decide to add more one day.” He presses another kiss to the tip of Buck’s nose, then his birthmark. 

Buck hums appreciatively, sinking further into the little bubble they’ve created for the afternoon. Into all of the warm, fuzzy feelings he associates with home and loved and cared for and family. Eddie moves his free hand and threads their fingers together, connecting them even more. Buck breathes a content sigh, shifting so he can rest his head on Eddie’s shoulder. He closes his eyes, just for a minute, thinking he could be satisfied to spend the rest of his life here, just like this.

*****

“Evan. Hey, wake up. Just for a sec.” 

“Mads?” He croaks, his tongue thick and clumsy in his mouth. The rest of the world slowly comes into focus with each blink. The television loops through all their favorite photos they use as a screensaver. Chris is still snoozing in his corner and Jee is a loose-limbed bundle sprawled across Buck and Eddie’s laps with her blanket and shark. 

At some point Eddie must have fallen asleep, too. He begins to stir at the sound of them talking. “Mmph. What? Oh, hey, Maddie. Sorry, we must’ve all passed out.”

“It’s okay. Everyone must have needed it.” She peers around their fort, pausing on Buck’s wings and Chris’s outfit and Jee’s tiara that’s fallen to the floor. “Looks like it was a fun day.”

Buck smiles, still hazy and dopey and happy. “Yeah, it was. We had a great time with her. As always.” 

“Good. I’m glad she wasn’t too much of a handful for you.”

“Not at all,” Eddie says quickly. “She’s welcome anytime.” 

“We’ll, uh, help you gather everything together and get her to the car,” Buck offers. “Unless you want to stay for dinner?”

“Thanks, but maybe another time? Howie’s making soup and sandwiches. I’ll just take our little one and head out.”

Maddie carefully lifts Jee into her arms, kissing the top of her head and inhaling deeply. “It never gets old,” she tells them. “Like a piece of me was missing and we’re reunited.” 

Buck and Eddie glance at Chris, then exchange a fond look of understanding between themselves.

“Yeah,” Buck agrees, continuing to gaze at his husband. “I know exactly what you mean.” 

[macaroonsims]

Strawberry Shortcake Legacy challenge

rules are he same as my other challenges. Reach top of career, complete all goals plus aspiration for each gen to pass.

Enjoy!

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Gen 1: Strawberry Shortcake

traits: cheerful, foody, bookworm

aspiration: master chef

career: chef

live with your younger sister Apple Dumplin'

plant strawberries in back garden

master baking, gardening, cooking, acting, pet training skills

bake heart shape cookies, strawberry cakes, and strawberry pies.

have a cat called custard

have a dog called Pupcake

like colours pink and red

dislike the colour grey

never drink tea

have two kids (blueberry muffin and everything bagel)

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Gen 2: Blueberry Muffin

traits: neat, genius, proper

aspiration: renaissance sim

career: gardener, botanist branch

plant blueberries in garden

master logic and gardening skills

have a pet rat called cheesecake

have a husky called scouty

like the colour blue

have two children (orange blossom and cherry crisp)

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Gen 3: Orange Blossom

traits: loyal, creative, active

aspiration: painter extraordinaire

career: painter, any branch

like the colour orange

own a shop (any kind)

master painting, athletic, video gaming, embroidery, fizzing, and gardening skills

plant all types of fruits in your garden

go rollerskating often

have a butterfly (outdoor retreat)

have a dog called marmalade

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Gen 4: Raspberry Torte

traits: active, self-assured, hot headed

aspiration: bodybuilder

career: athletic, any branch

like the colour pink

master athletic, baking, piano, guitar, and knitting skills

bake raspberry pies often

plant raspberries in garden

have a racoon called rhubarb

have a chihuahua called chiffon

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Gen 5: Lemon Meringue

traits: genius, creative, good

aspiration: academic

career: mechanical engineer, later stylist

attend university to study engineering, get a job but you alter discover your true passion for fashion, quit and start your new career.

plant lemons and daisies in garden

like the colour yellow

complete frog collection

have a dog called henna

bake lemon bars and lemon meringue pies

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Gen 6: Plum pudding

traits: genius, dance machine, clumsy

aspiration: chief of mischief

career: scientist

master dancing and logic skills

have a dog named pitterpatch

have an owl familiar called elderberry

plant elderberries in garden

like the colour purple

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Gen 7: Ginger Snap

traits: genius, foody, bookworm

aspiration: nerd brain

career: engineer (any kind)

master crafting, robotics, and baking skills

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Gen 8: Huckleberry Pie

traits: active, loves the outdoors, music lover

aspiration: musical genius

career: musician

like the colour blue

master athletic, guitar

also collect frogs (you have your great-grandparent's collection)

have a dog called tom tom

have a pet rat called red hot

have twins

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Gen 9: Lime Chiffon

traits: foody, dance machine, bookworm

aspiration: master chef

career: chef

like the colour green

master cooking, baking, dancing skills

own a restaurant

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Gen 9.5: Lime Light

traits: self-absorbed, jealous, mean

aspiration: world famous celebrity, master actor

career: acting

like the colour green

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

BONUS GEN: Apple Dumplin'

traits: creative, loves the outdoors, adventurous

aspiration: mt komorebi tourist, beach life, city native, jungle explorer

career: writer, journalist branch

plant apples in garden

master selvadoradian culture and writing skills

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

You have reached the end of the challenge!

[z4raas]

Berry bitty adventures legacy challenge part 2 ___________________________________________________________ Gen 4: Yellow Mods: Stylist career by KiaraSims4Mods and World Famous Stylist Aspiration by KiaraSims4Mods Name: Lemon (Meringue) Traits: Creative, Squeamish, Cheerful Aspiration: World Famous Stylist Aspiration Career:  Stylist - Master crotch stitching and charisma skill - Live in evergreen harbor - Start a protest - Have kids until you get a boy (no cheats) make the boy the next heir Lemon is a shy hairdresser. She loves doing hair and she's very creative with her designs. She's not social but when she does talk to others they always tend to love her! In her free time she crotch stitches while dreaming about her future as a world famous stylist! ___________________________________________________________ Gen 5: Green Name: Huckleberry (Pie) Traits: Loves outdoors, Dog lover, Lazy Aspirations: Angling Ace Career: Fisherman - Have a dog named Cupcake - Visit Strawberry with your dog everyday (if shes still alive or you dont live with her) - Ask about fishing locations in every time you meet a new sim - Master fishing skill - Have 1 kid Huckleberry is usually sleeping but when he's not he's out fishing, and if he's not out fish OR sleeping he's talking about fishing. Huckleberry just likes fish I guess. ___________________________________________________________ Gen 6: Blue Mods required: Functional librarian career mod by WICKED PIXXEL Name: Blueberry (Muffin) Traits: Bookworm, Librarian, Neat Aspiration: Renaissance sims Career: Librarian - Have a kid named Bosley (not the heir) - Master logic skill Blueberry loves reading. That's what she does in her free time. She makes sure everything in her house is organized and in place and loves peace and quiet. ___________________________________________________________ Gen 7: Dark Purple Mods: Tomboy trait by KiaraSims4Mods and Dancer Aspiration by KiaraSims4Mods and Ballet Skill by JaneSimsten Name: Plum (Puddin) Traits: Dance machine, Active, Tomboy Aspiration: Dancer aspiration Career: Ballerina - Master movement skill as a toddler - Master dancing skill and Ballet skill - Have a dance battle Plum loves dancing. She would always dance with the music blasting as loud as possible but even though her mom hated when she danced they both came to the conclusion that ballet would be the right choice because it's calm and classical and that was the only music her mom would allow in the house. ___________________________________________________________ Gen 8: Magenta/Pink Mods required: Fashion Student Mod by Danitysimmer and the Fashion Designer Mod by Danitysimmer Name: Raspberry (Torte) Traits: Art Lover, Creative, Aspiration: Fashion Student Career: Fashion Designer - Adopt a kid - Be a Part-Time Fashion Designer once you go to university and when you become an adult do the Fashion Designer Career - Master Fashion Designer skill - Host a fashion show - Be single until you're an elder Raspberry is a very independent girl. She loves fashion and she can make clothing out of any fabric she can find. She loves spending time with her great grandma and she hopes to host many fashion shows showcasing her art! ___________________________________________________________ Gen 9: Black Mods required: Singer career by KiaraSims4Mods and Platinum artist aspiration by adeepindigomods Name: Cherry (Jam) Traits: Childish, Music Lover, Perfectionist Aspiration: Platinum Artist Career: Singer - Preform something every time you see a mic - Live in San Myshuno – Master Singing and writing skill - Have only one close friend that you plan to make your spouse - Have an affair Cherry doesn't have many friends but she's very playful with the ones she does have! She loves to sing and dance with her grandma! Though she gets frustrated over small mistakes, her friends always have a way to help! ___________________________________________________________ Last is brown please bare with me idk how to use tumblr

[mint-hiddenite]

Vriska Undertale

Places

Abandoned Warehouse - Abandoned Warehouse

Amethyst’s Chamber - Asuka’s Chamber

Amethyst’s Room - Asuka’s Room

Ancient Gem Colony Ship - Ancient Troll Colony Ship

Ancient Sky Arena - Ancient Sky Arena

The Appalachian - The Appalachian

The Barn - The Barn

Barriga Residence - Crowley Residence

Beach City - Beach City

Beach City Funland - Beach City Carnival

Beach City Pier - Beach City Pier

Beach City Stage - Beach City Stage

Beach City Woods - Beach City Woods

Beach Citywalk Fries - Beach Citywalk Cookies

Beach House - Beach House

The Best Diner in the World - Requiem Cafe

Beta Kindergarten - Beta Bucket

Big Donut - Big Donut

Brooding Hill - Airplane Hill

Buddwick Public Library - Pines Public Library

The Burning Room - The Burning Room

Canary Cove - Rambunctious Crow Cove

Clock Tower - The Clock Tower of Cartesian Alignment

Cloud Arena - Cloud Arena

Communication Hub - Communication Hub

Cool Ranch - Cool Ranch

The Crab Shack - The Crab Shack

Crystal Heart - Zodiac Heart

Crystal Temple - Zodiac Temple

Dead Man’s Mouth - Dead Man’s Mouth

Delmarva - Delaware

The Desert - The Desert

Earth - Earth

Empire City - London

Fish Stew Pizza - Papa Louie & Freddy Fazbear’s Pizzeria

The Forge - Hotland Lab

Funland Arcade - Thunder Arcade

Galaxy Warp - Galaxy Warp

Garnet’s Chamber - Dirk’s Chamber

Garnet’s Realm - Dirk’s Room

Gem Battlefield - Troll Battlefield (based on Homestuck Battlefield)

Gem Homeworld - Alternia

Geode - The Bubble

The Great North - Snowdin

Homeworld Kindergarten - Alternia Bucket

Hospital - The Children’s Hospital (based on the Tumblr post)

Ice Cavern - Ice Cavern

Indigo Cave - Infinite Cave

It’s a Wash - It’s a Wash

Jersey - Ohio

Jungle Moon - Green Moon

Jungle Moon Base - Green Moon Station

Keystone - Illinois

Keystone Motel - Renaissance Schaumburg Convention Center Hotel

Kindergarten - Bucket

Le Hotel - The Langham Hotel

The Lighthouse - The Lighthouse

Little Homeworld - Little Alternia

Lunar Sea Spire - Frog Temple

Maheswaran Residence - Hatsune Residence

Malachite’s Realm - Hexxus’ Realm

Mask Island - Gravity Island

Mayor’s Office - Mayor’s Office

Miller Residence - Sparkle Residence

Moon Base - Moon Helipod Base

The Moors of Marcoon - The Moors of Marcoon

Ocean Town - Atlantic City

Onion’s House - Little German Boy’s House

Pearl’s Arena - Onceler’s Arena

Pearl’s Chamber - Onceler’s Chamber

Pearl’s Dimension - Onceler Dimension

Pearl’s Room - Onceler’s Room

Pearl’s Tree - Onceler’s Truffala Tree

Pink Diamond’s Garden - Tallest Komaeda’s Garden

Pink Diamond’s Zoo - Tallest Komaeda’s Hive

Pink Dimension - Pink Dimension

Prime Kindergarten - Prime Bucket

Prime Kindergarten Control Room - Prime Bucket Control Room

Pyramid Temple - Pyramid Temple

Red Temple - Spirit Temple

The Reef - Aperture Science Computer-Aided Enrichment Center

Ringo Zone - The Temple Universe

Rose’s Fountain - Nagito’s Fountain

Rose’s Landfill - Nagito’s Landfill

Rose’s Room - Nagito’s Room

Rose’s Secret Armory - Nagito’s Secret Armory

Sadie’s Room - Twilight’s Room

Sand Fortress - SCP Foundation Protected Site-01 (Overwatch HQ)

Sardonyx’s Room - Discord’s Room

Sea Shrine - Sea Shrine

Sky Spire - Sky Spire

Spacetries - Unitries

Steven’s Bathroom - Vriska’s Bathroom

Steven’s Conservatory - Vriska’s Conservatory

Steven’s Room - Vriska’s Room

Temple of the Frozen Fragment and Scorching Sand - Temple of Teal Libus and Fuchsia Pittanius

U-Stor - U-Stor

The Universe Family Camping Ground - The Undertale Family Camping Ground

Warp Space - Warp Space

Water Tower - The Muffin Water Tower

Wheat Field - Wheat Field

[fawnchives]

hii muffin, orchid and sage 💐<3

hi my gorgeous girl 🩷 miss you sm, hope you’re doing well !

send me something

sage ⇢ what ‘medium’ of art (poetry, music, fiction, paintings, statues etc.) is the most touching to you? why do you think that is?

ohhh most definitely paintings & statues & quotes — i love renaissance paintings, the classics, and literally anything by van gogh, he’s one of my favorites. i love those inspirational quotes that’ll leave you deep in though after reading them, i actually plan on getting a certain one tatted soon ! & speaking of thinking, ‘the thinker’ is literally one of my favorite statues

orchid ⇢ what’s a song you consider to be perfect?

oh my gosh i am literally a music freak…literally every song that gets stuck in my head is perfect if you ask me. but if i had to choose to one -> apocalypse by cigarettes after sex

[sankta-starkova]

LETTERMAN

009; thanksgiving

previous chapter | next chapter | masterlist

summary: the one where ej and andy reunite after years when they're cast as love interests, finally rekindling their friendship and maybe getting something else out of it as well

wordcount: 1.5k

They all sat around in rehearsals as Nini and Ricky performed 'Start of Something New'

The bell went and EJ jumped up, cheering. Andy and Ashlyn, who were sitting next to each other, looked up at him confused.

"Sorry. I really love thanksgiving," he announced, everyone laughing.

"I know everyone is excited for the holiday break but I'm me and I have notes," Miss Jenn said with a laugh, "Your homework is to please go on vocal rest,"

"Dont mind me, I just came to return some missing items," Mr Mazzara said as he walked into the room to Andy and Ashlyn.

"Ashlyn, Andy, couldn't have our robotics team co-captians going home without their binders," he said, handing the girls their stuff.

There was a lot people don't know about them, the girls did so many extracurriculars.

Andy and Ashlyn were in the robotics club, drama club and they were part of the Salt Lake Renaissance Fair. Ashlyn was also in the baking club and debate team whilst Andy did AV club.

They were all talking about Thanksgiving, listening to Miss Jenn talk to Mr Mazzara about food.

There was definitely something going on between them that clearly they hadn't talked about to each other.

"That sounds nice, my family have three protein courses and then everybody's asleep by 6," Carlos explained, Andy walking over to him, Big Red and Ashlyn.

"My folks start eating at dawn and they barely make it past the Macys parade,' Big Red said.

"My family eat and then we watch the entirety of Sound of Music," Andy explained with a chuckle, "My dad was Austrian so,"

She loved her family traditions but after her dad's death, it didn't make much sense anymore and the traditions just felt useless. At the mention of her dad, her face fell. She missed him like crazy and on occasions like this, it was made even worse.

"Well at least your folks are sticking around. EJs parents are treating my parents to a spa in Park City after dinner tomorrow." Ashlyn explained to them with a fake smile.

"If I could ring Cash Caswells neck just once in my life I would die happy," Andy explained, Ashlyn laughing unshamelessly, she didn't like her uncle either.

"Wait, do you guys wanna come over after dinner tomorrow?" Ashlyn offered.

"I never don't want that." Carlos said before he started to yell out, "Party at Ashlyns after thanksgiving tomorrow! Everyone's invited!

Everyone sat in Ashlyns house before Carlos walked in, "The party may begin!" he yelled out, holding something weird.

"You know this is a pot luck and not catering right?" Andy said as she helped him bring his box to the table. She'd only brought muffins.

"This is not food. This is something I've been waiting hears to share with the world. This is High School Musical, the Choosical!" He announced, opening the board game.

She looked at it in awe. It was so detailed, like monopoly on crack. There were hints to the original films everywhere and it was amazing.

"When I was a child, I wanted to go into the movie but the movie was on a screen so I made the next best thing," Carlos explained, a light blush on his face.

"So you've had this for ten years?" Big Red questioned, looking at it.

"And I've never actually played it,' Carlos admitted with a laugh.

"Okay, we'll totally play it," Ashlyn said, staring at all of the parts of the game.

"Okay, so there are two teams. The east high wildcats and the West High knights," he said, letting them sort each other out.

Andy watched as Ashlyn sat next to Big Red, the two getting cosy. When they heard the door go, the two girls raced to it.

They saw EJ who hugged both girls, "I brought some lobster dip. I double dibbed a few times and I feel bad about it but I feel great about telling you two," he explained.

"Hello, I'm Andy, this is your cousin Ashlyn, and you are?" Andy asked sarcastically, not knowing where this EJ came from or why he was being so honest.

"I'm trying out the whole honesty thing," he explained and she nodded, showing him where to put the food.

He placed it down, listening to her, "Honesty was never your strong suit EJ," she stated.

"I'm trying," he said, and she believed him

They walked back, everyone sitting down around the table. Andy explained everything about the game to EJ and he joined her team, East High Wildcats

"Okay, there are four basic categories. Trivia challenge, dance challenge, sync challenge and the glee challenge," he explained, "West High knights pick first,"

"Okay, we're gonna look for glee," Ashlyn said after the team confered.

Carlos picked up a card, clearing his throat, "As fast as you can, sing the lyrics to What I've been looking for to the rhythm of Getcha head in the game,"

They finally did it, everyone laughing at it. Andy thought it was amazing, the team bonding in this way.

She had never had this tight knit group of friends before, people that she could trust no matter what was happening.

"Congratulations, you move four spaces closer to center stage," Carlos said, the team cheering.

"Wildcats, take a spin," he said and EJ leaned over, spinning the thing before it landed on Bop to the top.

"Okay, pick one member from each team," Carlos said and they picked EJ and Ricky, "Your challenge is to stare at your partner and do the Sharpay and Ryan warm-up thing, without laughing or killing each other for sixty second,"

Carlos yelled go and they started doing it, very aggressively. It was shocking that they weren't laughing yet because everyone else was.

Andy though it was hilarious, a smile on her face as she watched them battle it out.

It was strange seeing her best friend and her old best friend fighting against each other for points. But she'd never been happy.

After what felt like hours of the most fun playing, there was a tie, "According to the rules, the only way to resolve a tie is with a lightning speed round of trivia questions," Carlos explained.

"Name both Jersey numbers Troy wears in the movies?" he said.

"Oh, uh, fourteen and ten,' Big Red said and everyone looked at him confused, "I watched it a lot,"

"How does Gabriella describe herself when she's complaining to her mum?" Carlos asked, reading out the next question.

"As the schools freaky genius girl!" Ashlyn replied everyone laughing at the joke she made afterwards.

"Wildcats, who's red tie does Miss Darbus compliment at auditions?" He asked, turning to them.

"Allen?" EJ called out and Andy laughed turning to him, not knowing how he got it right. But they were awkwardly close and he was surprised she hadn't caught him.

"I looked it up on my phone. I can't stop cheating and I'm sorry," he said and the West High knights won.

Carlos gave Gina the pin to signify her team won, everyone getting in for the picture before she got a call from her mum.

She put her mum on speaker, everyone yelling happy thanksgiving out, "Gina, honey, can you take me off speaker?" Her mum asked.

Gina walked out, obviously going to talk to her mum about something or other. The air became awkward and nobody quite knew what to say.

They all heard that Gina was moving, Ricky going out to talk to her. And on that note the party ended.

EJ gave Andy a lift home seeing as the party had ended earlier than assumed. But as they sat in the car, there was an awkward silence.

"Thanks for driving me home," Andy said, "EJ?"

She turned to see he was staring at her phone, and in his screen were hate comment about how being honest wasn't cute.

"Eej," she said after seeing that and he looked up, turning off his phone.

"Its nothing Andy," he said before opening the door to his car.

"Its obviously something, talk to me," she said, leaning over.

She knew him long enough to be able to tell when he was upset. There was something wrong, and it was more than his bruised reputation.

He sighed, "Its just, I want to be honest. And look where that got me, I've lost over 600 followers," he explained, running a hand through his hair in frustration.

"Those people don't matter, the people tonight who care about you matter," she said and he nodded his head, smiling at her.

The words were enough for him to realise that she was right, he didn't need any of these followers to like him. He just needed her.

"Thanks Andy," he said and the two laughed about the night, a comfortable silence between the two.

He laughed, smiling at her. He hadn't felt like this before, like someone completely understood him.

And as he watched her walk into her house, he wanted to run up and tell her how he felt. But he was confused, not knowing what he felt in the first place.

[renaissancemuffins]

Adoptable Pony characters for sale. Payments can be made via paypal. Message me for additional details if interested.

Some biography information under the read more.

Plushiosaur

A young, introverted alicorn pony whose main talent is making plushies and stuffed animals. She can usually be found in her room with a load of plushies and making more. Typically, they're ponies' pets and other animals that ponies would like. She even gets commissions from big name ponies like Luna, Photo Finish, and Rainbow Dash.

-unsold-

Sel Ene Tea

Quietly and assuredly, Sel will always settle down for tea in the middle of the night, expecting a visitor in her small and quiet home in the middle of the woods. Occasionally, Zecora has even stopped by for friendly chats. Sel has always admired the constellations and the full moon. Even commissioned a tea set that took after the theme. Her cutie mark even took after it as well.

-unsold-

River Light

An undertaker whose life has been filled with grief stricken citizens who had recently lost a loved one. His kind heart has often soothed others when he speaks to them. Often staying up late into the night, he builds coffins for all sorts and basically lives in the upstairs of the funeral home that he operates. He uses his cutie mark, a candlestick with a coffin shaped handle and an almost fully melted candle on top.

-unsold-

Brise Soleil

The tiniest architect, this breezy pony designs buildings that specialize in deflecting sunlight to reduce heat inside of the building. His tiny size often gives him the advantage of being able to inspect small discrepancies that may show up when the building is being built. It has been said that with his coat color, he has blended with the very blue prints that he’s created.

-unsold-

 Meridian

After the mane 6 had visited the Kirin village, Meridian, or Meri, once again found her love for the open waters and began to go about sailing in large lakes and the ocean shorelines. All the while learning about all the places that the Kirins had isolated themselves from. At the same time she found out that she needed a small set of glasses that would help her read tiny texts that she would sometimes come across. She also found a love for songs and cider.

-unsold-

Street Feather

Often found traveling the streets at dusk and dawn, Street Feather treads lightly along the city streets, lighting and snuffing the street lamps that politely line the wide stone roads. Always noted to step lightly wherever he goes, his duties often go unnoticed by the ponies of Saddle Arabia. Drifting quietly through the morning crowds and weaving through the busy afternoon.

-unsold-

[therealvinelle]

Sometimes, in your fics and metas, Aro will refer to "the gods". Is that just a phrase that he could be used to saying or thinking, or do you think he believes that gods exist? (Ones that were/are not vampires)

A bit of both!

The way @theoriginalcarnivorousmuffin and I write him, Aro isn't at all religious, will happily tell anybody who asks that he's agnostic at best and even that is only because Carlisle pestered him about it. However, one should still respect the gods, yes?

He's the sort who was raised in a certain world, who may have left his old life behind but kept much of the culture and the worldview. Some things you don't shake, or in his case even want to shake.

He's a superstitious atheist, a gleeful demon gives you scandalized looks if you walk past the household gods without paying them respect. Is it contradictory, yes, does he care, no.

[evienyx]

I kinda forgot how you came up with fractures, i know for a fact that you said it started as an au of another fic but I want to know it's origins

I mean, I started writing Fractures back in summer of 2019 (which is insane, let me say), when I was 14.

It is now 2023, I have just turned 18, I've gone through an entire pandemic and started college, and have written over 270,000 more words for this story.

It's kinda hard to remember where it initially came from, and the best thing I have to really go off of is the author's note on Chapter 1 and notes that I wrote for myself when I first started this story.

So, from what I can gather from those and what little I remember:

Most of the idea for Fractures came from the idea I had about what ATLA would be like if Zuko hadn't been there in the first place, but had been off doing something else. The first big problem that came up for me was the fact that Aang would still need a firebending teacher, and if Zuko wasn't there, Iroh was likely off with him, and therefore not available.

So, I started trying to figure out what I could do to separate Zuko from Iroh for pretty much the entire length of the show without making it too weird. From there, I realized the easiest thing would be if Zuko had never been sent to capture Aang in the first place. I decided that the easiest thing would be to simply throw Zuko into prison since the Agni Kai, make sure that Iroh hadn't been there at the Agni Kai, and go from there.

At that point, my interest had shifted from how the Gaang's adventures changed to instead being solely Zuko-focused. I wrote and published a one-shot of the start of the AU I'd made, but I kinda left it at that. There were people who commented wanting more, but I didn't really believe in my abilities to actually write a story of a larger scale. I also didn't know if there was any interest left in ATLA in the middle of 2019. The idea of writing it interested me, but if I was going to do that, I was going to go all in on it, and I didn't know how I felt about that.

The thing that really tipped it for me, if I'm being honest, was reading Towards the Sun by @muffinlance. Seeing an ATLA author succeeding and holding an audience, specifically in the times before the ATLA Renaissance because of Netflix, inspired me a shocking amount. It was the kinda thought of "well, if Muffin can do it, then so can I!" Which, to be fair, totally ignored the fact that she was a fully grown adult at the time, while I, 3.5 years later, have just now reached 'adult' status.

Still, it was enough for me, and so I wrote the next chapter in one night, published it, and we were off.

[tansyuduri]

15,17 and 25 !

First of all thank you for indulging my desire to have people on the internet ask me questions 15. Where would you rather live – a big house in the suburbs or a tiny apartment in a great location in the city? Currently I'm in a medium size house in the suburbs of a small city. For the question I would have to say apartment because it's easier to clean as long as my family can live there with me? I dunno I kinda prefer my medium house in the suburb setup. THOUGH I would live near a bigger city so it has like a renaissance fair... and Larp groups... and good Chinese food (We have everything nearby but good Chinese food) 17. Ever have any trouble with the law or get arrested? Nope! The closest thing was eating a lot of lemon poppyseed muffins in high school and convincing myself the police were going to find me and do a breath test and decide I was on drugs 25. Which show on TV do you absolutely HAVE to watch live when it airs? Uh well it's streaming now but... House of the Dragon!

[starscelestialspells]

Autumn Emoji Asks ✨

🍂: Make a simple autumn moodboard to show us your vibes this season! (or simply name the things you would put on such a moodboard)

👻: What is something in an animated movie or cartoon that scared you as a kid? 

Woody the Woodpecker lol

🎃: What are some good memories you have of celebrating Halloween? And do you have any plans for this year?  

Last year I spent Halloween at a rave, that was pretty spectacular. Halloween as a kid was always awesome also :) I don't have any plans this year yet but I think I just want to make spooky baskets with my partner and have a spooky movie night

🥧: Regardless of skill, if you could bake anything right now (pie, cake, muffin, brownie etc.) what would you like to make? 

Pumpkin Bread

🌧️: Time for a movie marathon on a rainy day. Pick your top 5 movies to watch!

Practical Magic

Any of the Twilight movies

Pan's Labyrinth

Queen of the Damned

Beetlejuice

🍊: What is your favorite scent? 

Rainy Cedar or Pumpkin Vanilla Campfire

📺: Do you watch horror movies? If yes, which are your favorite? 

Not really, but Midsommer was very visually stunning

🍄: Write a short essay about your thoughts and opinions on mushrooms.

Mushrooms are wonderful wonderful things, I love them. They're cute in art, they're great in food, they're the beauties of nature, they expand the mind, they HEAL! And when I say they heal I mean in more than just the psychotropic ways. They can communicate under the earth. There's so many of them and they can thrive through so much that other plants cannot. I love mushrooms, I wish I could be a mushroom. Mushrooms have taught me about myself and others. Mushrooms changed my life.

🤖: If you were a video game NPC, what would be your catchphrase? 

"Sweet strawberries, oh my!"

🍪: Favorite kind of cookie? 

Turtle Pecan

📢: Shout any random thing that your followers really need to know.

@zepheriasimmer is my sims 4 cc account :)

💁‍♀️: What are items you definitely don’t need but tend to keep and collect anyway?

buttons

cool tags from clothes/other products

tiny boxes

🧡: Which 3 songs remind you instantly of autumn and why? 

the obvious sweater weather, im not explaining lol

Home by Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros - it just gives me big singing to your love drunk by a bonfire vibes, coziness

Boy with a Coin by Iron and Wine - this one gives me witchy tambourine around a bonfire vibes

📆: Is there any event or upcoming activity you look forward to? 

THE RENAISSANCE FESTIVAL!!!

🎲: Which kind of board games do you like to play? 

I haven't played a board game in a very long time, maybe I should change that. I like dnd though :)

🛏️: Describe 3 specific items that are in your room.

I have a fabric rainbow woven basket full of incense and I just adore it so much

My partner built me a desk shelf and its just absolutely perfect, if I was at home I'd share a photo of it but its just a lil mini table thing with two shelves on it. I put all kinds of cute little figures and plushes on it, figures from naruto, avatar (aang and toph), a lil cubone dude and other desky things haha

My dnd dice are purple with a pink to gold shift sparkle and they have witchy looking numbers that are gold

👹: Favorite fictional monster or villain?

Beetlejuice obviously

😿: Describe any scene in a movie/series/book that never fails to make you cry.

Really any Studio Ghibli movies, rewatching them as an adult you just see all these themes you never understood before and it just really touches me.

📚: What are your favorite book? 

Circe by Madeline Miller

💀: Do you have any fears/phobias? 

Grasshoppers

🎪: If you could go see any broadway show or theater play right now, what would you like to see?

Oh I have no idea I'll be honest, I don't know much about theatre.

🤡: What is the dumbest way you have been hurt or injured? 

Pulling something slipping and giving myself a black eye haha

🍵: Top 3 favorite tea flavors?

Chai

Peppermint

Sweet (I'm from Texas lol)

💻: To feel nostalgic; what are some old games/websites you spent lots of time on when you were young?

The Sims, Animal Crossing, Online Dress Up Games

🧛: Did you ever dress up for a costume party, or maybe cosplay for a convention? If yes, which character? 

I did Velma for Halloween at Six Flags one year

🍯: If you could choose any three-course menu, what would be your ideal starter, main and dessert? 

Crab Ragoons, Some kind of spicy crunchy sushi, Ice Cream Cake

🍬: All-time favorite candy? 

Sour Belt Candy

🏡: You can make it as crazy and silly as possible; what would be some must-have features of your ideal dream house?

Oh an art studio/craft room with all the organization things installed but also a free wall to put tons of inspiration, an indoor heated pool in a glass room, a glass sunroom period, plants growing all over the outside (stone house), fruit garden, pole room with also room to just dance and be about, trip/mediation/spiritual/witchy room with big ass windows, just lots of windows, lots of natural light, canopy bed, butterflies come and visit, in the wood lots of wildlife, a pond, big full trees you can sit under, gaming room :)

🎮: Whether you’re waiting for its release or just until you can buy and/or play it; are there any video games you are looking forward to? 

The Hogwarts game!!

🍁: A new website, fandom, video, song, fun fact or anything, name a recent discovery you would like to share with your followers.

Trees with Human Skin by Head Empty - I promise you it's beautiful and angelic you will not regret giving it a listen!!

Original Post

[xtruss]

Hebrew Wasn’t Spoken For 2,000 Years. Here’s How It Was Revived.

The religious language that lay dormant for millennia is now global, used by millions of people around the world—including in China.

— By Allie Yang | May 11, 2023

The Codex Sassoon, the oldest and most complete Hebrew Bible, is set to go to auction this year. Religious texts like this one were a major factor in keeping Hebrew alive for two thousand years. Photograph By Wiktor Szymanowicz, Anadulo Agency/Getty Images

Today, Hebrew is a thriving language—used by millions of speakers around the world to communicate all their thoughts and desires.

That may have seemed almost impossible less than 150 years ago, when the language was thought to exist only in ancient religious texts.

For some two thousand years, Hebrew laid dormant as Jewish communities scattered across the globe, and adopted the languages of their new homes. By the late 1800s, Hebrew vocabulary was limited to archaic and religious concepts of the Hebrew Bible—and lacked words for everything from “newspaper” and “academia” to “muffin” and “car.”

Here’s a look at the bumpy road to modernizing Hebrew and the debates that surround its continuing evolution today.

Girls learn ancient Hebrew in Samaria, a region in modern day Palestine 🇵🇸, in the early 1900s. Photograph By American Colony Photographers, National Geographic Image Collection

Hebrew Never Really Died

The Jewish people were once known as Hebrews for their language, which flourished from roughly the 13th to second centuries B.C.—when the Hebrew Bible, also known as the Old Testament, was collected. Hebrew was used in daily life until the second century B.C. at latest, experts believe.

But beginning in the second century B.C., Jewish people became increasingly ostracized and oppressed. Through the rise and fall of Rome, the Middle Ages, Renaissance, and beyond, they were forced to migrate around Europe and adopted the language of the country they were in. They also formed new languages like Yiddish, which mixed Hebrew, German, and Slavic languages.

Still, the Jewish people were known as “People of the Book.” As part of traditions like studying the Torah and reading it aloud, Jews continued to learn Hebrew to read from the Bible and written Hebrew lived on for more than a millennium mostly through religious practice.

There were exceptions: more educated Jews exchanged messages in Hebrew, sometimes between merchants for records of business, says Meirav Reuveny, a Hebrew language historian at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. A 10th-century trove of documents showed that some women, a group generally confined to domestic duties at the time, also wrote letters, exchanged legal documents, and recorded business in Hebrew. From the 10th to 14th centuries, there was an explosion of secular Hebrew poetry in Andalusia, Spain.

Eliezer Ben-Yehuda reads at his desk shortly before his death in 1922. Historian Cecil Roth famously said, “Before Ben‑Yehuda, Jews could speak Hebrew; after him, they did.” Photograph By Lebrecht Music & Arts, Alamy Stock Photo

Waking The Giant

In the 19th century, most Jews in Europe were still second-class citizens when a new movement emerged that looked to Hebrew as a way to inspire hope through the Jewish people’s glorious past, Reuveny says. Hebrew revivalists wanted to expand the language beyond the abstract concepts in the Bible—they wanted to use it to talk about modern events, politics, philosophy, and medicine.

Among the leaders of the movement was Eliezer Ben-Yehuda, credited as the father of Modern Hebrew.

“One person cannot invent a language,” Reuveny says. “But he makes a good hero, something important for a social movement.”

Ben-Yehuda was born in 1858 in Lithuania, where Jews were heavily discriminated against and violent pogroms terrorized Jewish communities regularly. When Ben-Yehuda traveled to Paris in 1878, he was empowered by the growing Jewish nationalist movement he witnessed there.

He believed Jews needed a country and language to flourish. He moved to Jerusalem in 1881, where he and his wife made the decision to only speak Hebrew—despite missing words for essential modern items and concepts. They raised their son Itamar Ben-Avi to be the first native Hebrew speaker in almost 2,000 years.

In the beginning, Hebrew went through growing pains: the language needed many new words. Ben-Yehuda made a dictionary of new Hebrew words (including מילון, or milon, the word for dictionary). Hebrew newspapers across Europe invented their own words, too, Reuveny says.

Left: A shop on New York City’s Lower East Side in 1940 is covered with signs written in Yiddish, which primarily uses the Hebrew alphabet. Photograph By Charles Phelps Cushing, Classicstock/Getty Images

Right: A boy learns the Hebrew alphabet as a member of a Black Jewish congregation in the Harlem neighborhood of New York City, circa 1955. Photograph By Archive Photos, Getty Images

Many people saw this as an unwelcome change—swapping an ancient and sacred language to a new and strange one. Hebrew revivalists chose a difficult way of life by speaking only Hebrew, before it could meet the needs of modern life.

Gradually, the language was standardized in the early 20th century. The first Modern Hebrew dictionary was released in its completed form in 1922. Hebrew language schools were opened, then Hebrew became the language of instruction of all subjects in Jerusalem schools (the first in 1913).

After the state of Israel was established in 1948, people flocked from all over the world. Many young adults learned Hebrew through the young nation’s mandatory military service, though most families in Israel became Hebrew speakers over one to two generations.

Today, of the 9.5 million people in Israel aged 20 and over, almost everyone uses Hebrew, and 55 percent speak it as their native language. Around the world there are around 15 million Hebrew speakers; in the U.S., there are 195,375.

An Unstoppable Force

Modern Hebrew has changed significantly but still shares clear ties with Biblical Hebrew.

“King David and I could probably understand each other,” says Mirit Bessire, Hebrew language program director at Johns Hopkins University, who points out that it’s not all that different from modern English speakers attempting to understand someone using Shakespearean English.

The growing pains Hebrew experienced as it modernized during Ben-Yehuda’s time are echoed in controversies today. Inclusive language such as non-binary adaptations have proven difficult to adopt as Hebrew is significantly gendered, Reuveny says. Modern words and concepts like “gaslighting” also stir debate about how much outside cultures are affecting the language.

“Language does naturally evolve and grow. It’s inevitable. It’s not in our hands what our language does,” Bessire says.

Language fills the needs of its users, she adds—and today we have more needs than ever as social media and email connect communities of Hebrew speakers far beyond Israel. For example, Bessire says, there are Hebrew communities in China that are not Jewish but have become fluent in the language for business purposes.

“Hebrew is a language of proficiency,” Bessire says. “It's a language that you use for your everyday life, from technology to medicine.”